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Top 7 Ways To Stick To Your Diet

The following tips can help you achieve your desired weight loss and maintain a steady, healthy diet that's right for you.

Find a diet you can live with. Sure, you can probably lose weight by eating cabbage soup three times a day, but who can stick to such a diet for long? No matter what diet you choose, make sure it includes a variety of food. A good rule of thumb is that if you can take a client to lunch and still stick to your diet, it's one you can stay on for the long haul.

Remember where you started. You know those photos you hate? The ones where you look your heaviest? Now's the time to dig them out and start thinking of them as your "before" pictures. Visualize what it'll be like when you can put your "after" pictures next to them.

Make a list of things you'll do when you hit your goal weight. Don't just make a list of one-liners -- get into some detail. If one of your goals is to visit old friends you've been ignoring, think about where you'll "happen" upon them, and what you'll say when they remark about how good you look. Try to add to your goal list everyday. At the very least, go over it and pick the one goal you're looking forward to the most that day. Use that image as motivation to keep going.

Find a "diet buddy." Being accountable to someone else can help you through some rough spots. Hearing someone else's struggles will help you come up with suggestions for them that will help strengthen your resolve. And when you're feeling down, someone else who knows what it's like just might say the thing that gets you going again.

Avoid known trouble spots. If you consistently overeat in certain situations, stay out of those situations. But you always go out with your co-workers after work on Friday? Well, if that's your downfall, you just have to decide whether "tradition" is worth your health. Look for people who want to start an after-work tradition that doesn't revolve around eating and drinking.

Don't let a setback sabotage you. Everybody stumbles at some point. But the people that finally reach their goal weight are the people who pick themselves up, wipe the ice cream from their chin, and get back to their diet. Beat yourself up for about a minute and then drop it. Move on. Your goal isn't behind you -- it's right out there in front. Get going!

Make realistic goals. Your high school reunion is in six weeks (what a great place to make business contacts!) but you're not going unless you lose 45 pounds first. Well, if that's your criteria, save the stress and forget about going. If you do hit your goal, you'll regret it later when you realize that half the weight you lost was muscle, not fat, and since you can't keep up an extreme weight-loss program for the long term, the yo-yo effect will be horrible. Yes, the suggested one to two pounds a week weight loss sounds too slow, but think of it this way. At that rate you can safely lose 100 pounds by this time next year. Without suffering.

BONUS TIPS

Whatever it takes -- no matter what. When you're serious about getting fit, let that be your motto. It'll be inconvenient to eat right at times, you'll want to just let go other times. But stay committed to the goal and visualize the results. Don't let anyone or anything stand in your way.